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A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Sight Unseen
by Bekah See
Chapter 2 Janet walked with the warm sun on her back, feeling her anger beginning to recede. This world was truly a paradise. The hills were covered in a verdant carpet of green, which shimmered in pools of golden sunlight. The sapphire hues of the cloudless sky were so intense, it almost hurt to look up. There were no sounds of machinery, motors or anything else man made. Birdsong floated through the air, accompanied by the soft rustling of leaves on the wind, creating a natural symphony that slowly permeated the doctor’s agitation, stilling her restlessness and calming her spirit.She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the heady perfume of something like gardenias, though here the flower, called a jalla blossom, was a rich vibrant red shot through with veins of shimmering gold. Sam had mentioned once that there were actually traces of the element in the flower, and had marveled at the blending.Janet walked toward some of the blossoms growing nearby, and, choosing two small but perfect specimens, plucked them, and put one in her hair. She handing the other to Sam, who smiled her thanks and held it to her nose, breathing deeply. Carter was glad to see Janet enjoying herself. The doctor had had a rough time under Tessa’s stern tutelage, but the plants and techniques she was studying had the potential to counter some of Earth’s most tragic diseases, and she knew her friend would not give up when she might be handling the answer to things like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and even some forms of cancer.The major’s thoughts floated, cradled by the tranquility that surrounded them. She smiled as she recalled how General Hammond had gently but firmly ordered her on this “mission”. SG-1 had just come back from yet another skirmish with the Goa’uld, and Sam had been injured—again. It had taken longer for her body to heal itself than it should have, which Janet had attributed to exhaustion, after which she had ordered the entire team to be placed on standby for a month. Jack took off for Minnesota, Daniel went to his 251st Archeological conference, and Teal’c left to visit Rya'c. Which left Sam with the choices of visiting her brother in California, or staying in the Springs and doing something by herself. She had just begun entertaining ideas of taking a cruise or a long distance ride on her Indian through the Rocky Mountain National Park when she had been asked by Hammond if she would like to accompany Dr. Frasier on her three week trip to Rihalliu, where she was to learn all she could about the local homeopathic medicinal practices. Sam could see the pull. The natives were a beautiful people who chose to keep their lives simple. They were fully human, but enjoyed almost perfect health, thanks in part to the extensive study and dedication of their healers, and part to their natural hardiness. General Hammond had asked Sam to go with the doctor to “watch her back” he said, though they both knew there was nothing to fear from this planet or its people. But Sam took the gesture for the offer of rest that it was, and accompanied her closest friend through the gate and into the village.It had been a very peaceful ten days, and Sam felt better than she had in a long time. She was physically whole and relaxed, her spirit was calm, and the knots she’d thought had taken up permanent residence in her stomach were finally unraveling. She looked over at Janet and smiled. The doctor, too, looked rested despite the ongoing tension with Tessa. Her skin glowed in the sun, set off by the loose white top and pants that flowed around her as they walked. Her hair shone chocolate, flecked with ribbons of gold from hours in the gentle sun, and her gait was light and easy. Both women were barefoot, not needing any protection from the soft grass beneath their feet.They reached the glade and stopped beside a sparkling stream that ran through the sanctuary. Kneeling, the two women dipped their hands and greedily drank their fill of the sweet water. “So what are we looking for?” Sam asked, standing and shaking her hands dry.“Well,” Janet looked up into the boughs of shivering leaves. “Barlo vines grow within these trees, usually between the lower branches. They’re silvery in color, and fairly thin, but shouldn’t be too hard to find.” She reached up and pulled a series of spindly vines down from the branches directly above her. “These are them. And you’ll probably have an easier time of this than I will, with those ape arms of yours.”Sam stuck her tongue out at her friend, then turned her attention upwards and started searching for the plant. A gentle wind whistled through the glade, sending the branches singing, and tiny white petals began to drift lazily through the air before settling silently to the ground. Sam watched them as they fell, transfixed by the hypnotic flow. Smiling, she shook herself and continued her search until she had an armful of vines before returning to Janet and depositing her load into the doctor’s bag. Soon the sack was full, and the two women moved deeper into the glade, following the shallow stream to a pool at the bottom of a small waterfall.Janet had been here many times, gathering herbs and plants for her tutor, but each time she was struck by the illusion of newness that seemed to permeate the place. Every curve, every angle, every rock and branch and flower sparkled and shone as if it had just been painted by a loving and benevolent hand. Canopies of white and pink blossoms spread through the trees overhead, filling the air with their fragrance. Dewdrops from the spray of the waterfall flirted with the sunlight, sending tiny rainbows dancing across her face.A soft touch on her arm brought Janet back to herself, and she turned to Sam, who wordlessly gestured to the edge of the clear blue pool. Janet looked and saw several small boulders covered by the soft olive skin of fan moss. She nodded, and both women set to work prizing the fragile water plant off the rocks on which they grew. They packed it carefully into the special containers Janet had brought with her; the moss died quickly if it was bruised, and Tessa needed it fresh and green. Very soon they had gathered enough to fulfill the healer’s requirements, and the two women regretfully turned their steps back toward the village. The sun was setting and they would be expected soon for the evening meal. Janet entered Tessa’s small home without knocking, as she had been ordered on the first day of her time here. She silently moved around the small outer room, placing the vines in their designated basket, and removing the moss from its casing to place it in a special urn that was insulated by another type of moss keeping the vessel cool and moist.Her tasks done, she returned to her own dwelling, which she shared with Sam, to wash her hands and face and put on fresh clothing. Sam was already there pulling on loose black pants and a long plum colored tunic. She smiled as Janet walked in. “I’m going to go help with dinner. Wanna come?”“Sure. I’ll be out in a minute.” Janet finished dressing and left the hut to join Sam at the cooking fires. Janet breathed deeply as she approached the large open space used by the Rihallians for their community meals. She smiled, watching as children shrieked and ran, chasing each other around the legs of their parents. Several families shared each of the large roasting pits, kneeling or sitting on the soft ground as they prepared the part of the meal they had been tasked to. They talked and laughed in their lightly accented speech, sharing stories of the day and plans for tomorrow. Once the food was finished, all would be carried to several large tables set to the side, and everyone would share equally. Very soon, those tables were groaning under the weight of several haunches of meat, which had been rubbed with savory herbs before being roasted over the open pits. Vegetables of astonishing colors soaked in nectars or spices were set alongside wheels of yellow cheese and loaves of crusty bread. Bowls of frothy butter and fresh, sweet jam rounded out the meal.The eldest always went first, and selected the choicest bits from the cuts of meat, the most tender of the vegetables, and the most perfect rolls before returning to their places among much good humored teasing about needing soft food for their aging palates. Once the elders were seated, family groups went through, followed by single adults. There was always plenty to go around, and the people ate well. Nights on Rihalliu were just as beautiful as the days. Millions of stars sparkled unchallenged in the midnight blue sky, and the air was cool and mild. Songs of laughter filled the air, mingling with the gleeful screeching of children and the good natured banter of friends. Sam had quickly been marked as a good source for new stories to add to the peoples’ already rich repertoire. At first she had been hesitant to share the details of her past missions; they were classified after all, but she quickly came to realize that the truthfulness of the details didn’t matter nearly as much as the entertainment factor.So she spoke of her travels, modestly at first, then with increasing embellishments and outright fabrications. She loved to hear her friends laugh, and used the idiosyncrasies of her teammates to great effect. Even Janet, who had either lived through or heard about every adventure, found herself laughing out loud as Sam expounded on Jack’s mutterings and indelicacies, Daniel’s constant ability to get into trouble, and Teal’c’s dry, subtle humor. The doctor leaned forward in her seat with everyone else, hanging on Sam’s every word as the major recounted the horror of seeing Jack pinned to a wall by a sphere that didn’t want to go home, her shock when Teal’c turned his weapon on his fellow Jaffa for the first time, and her deep concern for Daniel when Ma'chello stole his body and went on a little holiday. Janet noticed, however, that Sam did not recount any of her own misfortunes, but she decided to refrain from commenting. If the major didn’t want to relive any of the horrors she herself had gone through, Janet couldn’t blame her one bit.This night, however, Sam was not asked for a story, and Janet’s eyes widened as she saw a tiny figure rise from the group and move to the front. Tessa settled herself on the red silken pillow reserved for the storyteller, and began. Listen, if you will, to the tale of the Krallik, and hear, O People, the warning contained within. Some of the parents began shifting around Sam and Janet, looking uncomfortably at one another, and obviously ill at ease with this particular choice. Several of the young mothers grimaced and went so far as to scoop up their little ones and take them to their beds in order to spare them the tale. The two outsiders looked at each other briefly, then turned their attention back to the old woman sitting as still as a stone at the front of the crowd. Many years ago, when our people were very young, this land was a desolate place, consumed by the evil that lived here. Blackened trees stood like sentinels against a blood red sky, guarding the ghosts of a people who had been hunted since the beginning of time. For this was the age of the invisible Krallik. Men were wary, constantly on guard against a terror they could not see, for the Krallik could hide itself in the shadows of darkness. Desperate to protect their women and babes, they refused to rest, instead keeping watch over their squalid camps until sunrise when the evil that haunted them slept. But every night, after the sun had gone to its bed, the Krallik would come and touch living flesh. And whomever was touched would quickly grow hot with fever, insanity invading their minds. Within hours, the victim, be it man, woman or child, would break from the restraining hands of their loved ones and flee, screaming into the trees, as if chased by the very hounds of hell. None of them was ever seen again.For many turns, the beast ate well, devouring those whose terrors forced them into the forest. And though the people learned of a method that would allow them to perceive the Krallik, the Sight came at a terrible cost, causing fear and sickness whenever anyone dared to take it, until the day came when no one would, and the people were once again left staring out into the forests, wondering if they were looking at the beast as it came for them. Then one night, as the stars burned brightly in the sky, a silvery light grew out of the darkness. It passed into and through the dwellings of men, and disappeared into the trees where the beast lived.A great battle ensued, light against darkness, good against evil. It raged for three days and three nights, and the devastation was terrible. And then, at sundown on the third day, a great thunderclap was heard and white lightning split the sky. The roar was heard over all the land, and its echo crumbled mountains into dust. The light reappeared, moving toward the cowering men.“The beast has been sent back to the abyss from which it came. You are free. Do with your lives what you will.” The words were not heard in their ears, but in their minds, and the people bowed down to worship the light. Peace and safety came to the land. No longer did men have to force the earth to produce food. Now the ground gave it willingly. Trees and bushes, laden with fruit grew plentifully, and men began to cull the earth, planting the seeds of the foods that they ate so that they would always have enough. The people grew wise and beautiful, their lives rich with laughter and song. But there is a legend among those who have kept our history, that the evil will come again, searching for the blood of those whom it had once fed upon. And in that time, darkness will once again fall, unless warriors not of us can vanquish the beastHear, O People, the tale of the Krallik, and heed its warning well. Silence had descended on the crowd as Tessa’s last words faded into the darkness. For many long moments, no one moved. Then one man stood and left the group for his home, breaking the spell, and the crowd dispersed with much muttering and whispering.Janet stood and made her way toward Tessa, who was still sitting on the pillow, staring at the fire before her. She sat cross legged on the ground and waited for the elder to acknowledge her.“You wish to know why I chose to tell that story.” the old woman said, far more quietly than Janet had ever heard her speak.“Yes.” she answered simply.Sam sat down next to Janet and waited for Tessa to continue.“Some evil approaches, Janet.” The doctor’s eyes widened. It was the first time Tessa had called her by her given name. “I fear that the time will soon be upon us when the Krallik returns to hunt its chosen prey.”“Why do you believe this?”Tessa shook her head. “It is a feeling, no more. It may simply be that I am growing old, and my fears are getting the better of me, but I do not believe so. That is why I chose to tell this story. The people need to be on guard, to know that nothing lasts forever.”“Tessa,” Sam spoke up, her eyes narrowed in thought. “What can you tell us about this Krallik besides what we heard in the story?”“There is nothing else to tell.” the healer said. “It is a creature of the dark that cannot abide the light of the sun, though fire does not give it pause. It cannot be seen by human eyes, and yet a single scratch from its claw will drive grown men to insanity and send them running into its grasp.”“What about the light that saved the people?” Sam asked. “It was never seen again, though many believe that it is still here, protecting us from the evil that invaded our land so long ago. They think that, should the evil return, the Light will also return, and once again deliver us.”“But you don’t agree, do you?” Janet said softly.Tessa looked at the ground and visibly braced herself for her next words. “No. I believe the Light left us to ourselves, though it may have sealed the breach in the world where the creature came from.”The old woman fell silent for a time, then suddenly her head snapped up and her eyes flared. “Now, if you two are through wasting my time, I must return to my home.” In one fluid motion that belied her great age, Tessa rose from her pillow and swept away.Janet turned to Sam, and saw a look of wary comprehension there. “What?” she asked.“I’m not sure yet. I need more information before I can reach any kind of conclusions.”Janet did not push her. Sometimes it was best to let Sam’s mind muse over something for a while before bringing it fully formed into the light.
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